Tango

"Tango" by Mrożek is a story about society, power, freedom, and values – told through the lens of one explosive family. A world in miniature, emotions on a grand scale: someone pretends to be someone else, something is hidden, someone deceives, someone allows themselves to be deceived, everyone dreams of something, feels ashamed of something, someone suffers. Written nearly sixty years ago, the text poses a question we continually seek to answer – who are we when we remove our masks?

In "Tango," two mirrors – art and reality – reflect worlds that observe each other. Drama or farce? Human, familial, social, political? The conservative Artur's revolution against Stomila's liberal views is a painfully clear metaphor. The ending of this story is the beginning of another, whose protagonists could be ourselves.